Flora of North America species comparison

erect to ascending, sparingly branched in distal 1/2, not wiry, 15–75 cm.

prostrate to ascending, sometimes zigzagged, branched from base, not wiry, 5–50 cm.

ocrea 7–12 mm, proximal part cylindric, distal part usually persistent, with strong veins, margins entire or lacerate, silvery, later disintegrating into ± persistent brown fibers;

petiole 1–5 mm;

blade light green or yellowish, elliptic to obovate, 30–60(–80) × (8–)10–25 mm, margins flat, apex obtuse;

stem leaves 1.5–3.5(–4) times longer than branch leaves;

distal leaves overtopping flowers in distal part of inflorescence.

ocrea 2.5–12 mm, proximal part funnelform, distal part soon disintegrating, nearly completely deciduous or fibers persistent;

petiole 2–7 mm;

blade light green, sometimes purple tinged, elliptic to elliptic-obovate or obovate, 8–30(–50) × 4–15(–25) mm, margins flat, apex acute to obtuse;

middle stem leaves 1.1–2.1(–3.4) times as long as adjacent branch leaves, distal leaves overtopping flowers.

axillary;

cymes in axils of most leaves and toward tips of stems and branchs, 1–5-flowered.

axillary;

cymes uniformly distributed, 1–7(–10)-flowered.

mostly exserted from ocreae, 3–7 mm.

enclosed in or sometimes exserted from ocreae, 1–2.5 mm.

closed;

perianth 2.8–3.8(–4.2) mm;

tube 20–37% of perianth length;

tepals overlapping, green with yellowish, rarely whitish green, margins, sepaloid, not keeled, oblong to obovate, cucullate;

midveins branched, moderately to heavily thickened;

stamens 7–8.

closed;

perianth (2.2–)2.5–4.5 mm;

tube 23–38% of perianth length;

tepals initially overlapping, pushed apart as achene develops, green, margins white to pink, petaloid, not keeled, oblong, cucullate;

midveins branched, sometimes not visible;

stamens 6–8.

enclosed in perianth, brown to tan, ovate, 3-gonous, 2.3–3.5 mm, faces subequal, ± concave, apex not beaked, edges concave, dull, striate-tubercled; late-season achenes uncommon, 4–5 mm.

exserted from perianth, brown to dark brown, broadly ovate to ovate-lanceolate, (2–)3-gonous, (1.8–)2–3.7(–4.5) mm, faces subequal or unequal, flat to concave, apex beaked, edges strongly concave, shiny to dull, roughened, rarely obscurely tubercled; late-season achenes common, 4–6 mm.